Germany seeking comprehensive 5G mobile network

BERLIN: Germany wants to become the first country to set up a comprehensive 5G mobile network, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted digital infrastructure minister Alexander Dobrindt as saying in Tuesday's editions.

He told the newspaper that a 5G service would be needed to keep up with the high bandwidth required in the future for self-driving cars, medical applications, and other emerging technologies.

"We want Germany to be the leading market for 5G and the first country that will have a blanket 5G network," the newspaper quoted Dobrindt as saying.

The new 5G service will be 10 times faster than the current 4G service.

A five-point strategy paper prepared by the ministry calls for all main transportation arteries and at least the 20 largest German cities to be fitted with 5G networks by 2025, with key decisions to be made by 2018. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams)

Separately, RCom initiated contempt proceedings in the apex court against the Department of Telecommunications, blaming it for delaying a spectrum sale that would have enabled dues to be paid to Ericsson and lenders.